Too Hot To Handle
by Tay55
Summary: What starts out as an unrequited crush has become a mutual attraction too hot to ignore. Craig is about to learn that what Manny wants, Manny gets
1. Chapter 1

Economics Notes  
  
Too Hot To Handle  
  
Ch. 1  
  
The Santos Residence  
  
Manuela Santos awoke to find her best friend Emma Nelson rifling through her closet as though she was looking for something of dramatic importance. The girls had spent the night at Manny's the previous night, watching videos and gossiping, just like old times. Manny was grateful that their sleepover had gone so smoothly, because since her transformation from lovable sidekick to Miss Popularity, their previously uncomplicated relationship had encountered some stormy weather. Manny groaned, stretching her arms above her head in an attempt to wake up. "Em! It's, like, 9 o'clock in the morning. Why are you going through my stuff?"  
  
Emma dropped the mini-skirt she had been examining and gave her friend a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snoop," she insisted. "I was just wondering whether you still had any of your old clothes in here." She fingered Manny's newest tube top, her eyebrows raised. "I figured if you hadn't thrown away all of your old clothes, that would mean that some of the old Manny was still here. hidden underneath the Victoria's Secret lingerie and Clinique make-up."  
  
Manny sighed and rubbed her eyes. It was too early to have this conversation. "Listen Em, we've talked about this. I know I acted like a pain last week and I'm sorry. But just because I've decided to spice up my appearance a little doesn't mean that I'm not the same girl."  
  
Emma, who had just finished folding the last article of clothing, walked over to the bed and sat down on the corner, avoiding her friend's eyes. "I know what was said, I guess I'm just a little worried, that's all."  
  
"Well stop worrying!" Manny exclaimed, giving Emma a dazzling grin. "And relax. It's the weekend; we're young, cute, and finally in high school. This year is going to be incredible." And with that enthusiastic proclamation, she threw off the covers and hopped off the bed and onto the floor. "Let's get dressed," she said, slipping her arm around Emma's shoulders. "I hear the mall calling our names."  
  
Joey's apartment  
  
"Mmm. I could get used to this," Ashley Kerwin murmured as she ran her fingers through her boyfriend Craig's curly hair, kissing him softly on the lips. Craig laughed, pushing her down on the couch and slowly crawling over her so that he was looking directly down into her face.  
"Me too," he sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. He loved her eyes. A few months ago, he could only dream about being this close to Ashley, being able to touch her and kiss her. In those days, a simple smile from her would cause him to feel butterflies and his stomach and his palms would get all sweaty. I was such a dork, he thought with a smile. He and Ash had been dating for four months, and they had been spending nearly every day of the summer together. The butterflies were pretty much gone, but Craig figured that was normal with a relationship. Ashley reached up again, pulling his face down towards hers, and he responded to her eagerness by cupping her face and kissing her fully. But after awhile he pulled back, inexplicably distracted, and scooted over to the other side of the couch. Ashley didn't seem to notice his lack of enthusiasm, and after straightening her hair, she leaned rapturously against his shoulder and sighed.  
  
"Craig, there's something I've been wanting to tell you." He obligingly put his arm around her shoulders, though he had become suddenly fascinated with a random object across the room and didn't look at her as she spoke. " I think. I mean I know. that I love you. And I just wanted you to know that." And with that, she pulled back so she could see his face, looking at him expectantly with those big blue eyes. Craig's mouth had suddenly gone dry, and he nervously ran a hand through his dark hair.  
  
"Wow, that's. wow. I'm really.flattered. Because you mean a lot to me, and I just.thank you," he stuttered. She frowned, then got up off the couch and stood in front of him, looking suddenly very intimidating.  
  
"That's all you have to say? After I make myself completely vulnerable, all you can say is 'thank you'?" Craig, having recovered from the initial shock of her admission, grabbed her hand before she could turn away.  
  
"Ash, I'm sorry. It's just that I kind of have issues with saying those three words. When I say them, I want it to be completely right, and I want to know without a doubt in my mind just how strong my feelings are. My dad." he trailed off, but Ashley squeezed his hand encouragingly. "My dad would always say that he loved me after he hit me or hurt me, and those were the only times I ever heard it. It was his way of gaining back my trust after doing something unforgivable, so over time, I kind of lost faith in the significance of those words." He felt his eyes grow watery, and he looked away from Ashley's sympathetic face. "So I can't say them until I'm ready, you know?"  
  
He felt Ashley sit back down, felt her lace her fingers with his, and heard her soft whisper in his ear. "I understand. You don't have to say it until your ready." Craig gave her a small smile, but continued to avoid her eyes. He couldn't help but feel guilty. What he had told her was only partially true; he did have an issue with saying "I love you", but the fact was, Craig didn't think he was in love with Ashley, and he wasn't sure he ever would be. Something was missing. Ashley was his best friend, and she had a piece of his heart, but the rest of him was still searching for something more. 


	2. Chapter 2

Economics Notes  
  
Too Hot To Handle  
  
Ch. 2  
  
"See ya, Angie," Craig said as he gave his little sister an affectionate kiss on the cheek as he followed Joey out to the car. It was the start of the second week of school, and already Craig was ready for summer. As he hopped into the driver's side of the car, he replayed the events of yesterday in his mind, remembering over and over again the hopeful look in Ashley's eyes when she had told him she loved him. Why was it so hard for him to say it back? He certainly cared about her and thought about her a lot. Why did he suddenly feel uneasy around her?  
  
"We're picking up Sean, right?" Joey's inquiry jerked him out of his thoughts.  
  
"Right," he murmured, still lost in a haze. When Sean climbed in the back seat, Craig gave his friend the usual manly fist-touching-fist greeting, feeling a little more relaxed now that he had someone to take his mind off these disturbing thoughts. "Hey man, how was your weekend?"  
  
"It was cool," Sean replied nonchalantly. "Hung out at Emma's house with her and Manny on Friday." Craig nearly groaned at the mention of the latter's name. Ever since he had seen Manny on the first day of school the past week, he had been having trouble getting images of her out of his head. The picture of her in that teeny blue tube top had been practically burned into his brain, as were the feelings of lust that went right along with it. He had always thought Manny was pretty, but this new Manny was something else. Something a little scary and exciting at the same time. As always, Craig began to feel guilty at the thought of Manny. How would Ash feel if she knew he was thinking about another girl, like how soft her skin was, how sexy her smile was, how."Damnit", Craig muttered under his breath, earning an odd look from Sean.  
  
When they arrived at Degrassi Community School, Craig and Sean grabbed their things, slung them over their shoulders, and headed inside. The first thing Craig saw was Paige and Spinner making out by the water fountain, and rolled his eyes, hating PDA's. Pretty soon, he spotted Ash making small talk with Terri and Ellie, and she caught his eye and waved. He returned the wave casually, ignoring the feelings of dread in his stomach.  
  
"Sean, there you are," Emma greeted her brooding beau with a soft peck on the lips. "I missed you Saturday." Sean couldn't help but smile as he slung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer.  
  
"Of course you did," he replied jokingly. "Did you stay at home and think about me all night?"  
  
"Yeah, up until about 2 A.M. when Manny and I met some bikers and went for a ride." Craig snapped to attention as he heard Manny's name, and he leaned nonchalantly against the lockers behind him.  
  
"So where is Manny, anyway? I thought you two were attached at the hip or something." Emma poked him in the shoulder in mock disgust.  
  
"I'll have you know that we happen to have lives of our own, thank you. Besides, it looks like Manny is doing okay without me, don't you think?" Craig turned in the direction that Emma was pointing, to find Manny standing by the door to Media Immersion, tucking her hair flirtatiously behind her ear and conversing with two 11th grade boys. One of the guys, a beefy athlete-type, had his hand on her arm and appeared to be rubbing his thumb in circles over her skin. The other guy leaned in and whispered something in her ear, to which she giggled loudly and poked him in the stomach.  
  
At that moment, Manny seemed to sense someone watching her and she looked past the beefy guy's head and directly into Craig's eyes. Craig was so startled that he became momentarily frozen, unable to look away. Since things went down the year before, Manny had scarcely talked to him, save at Spike and Snake's wedding. But at that moment it seemed that a form of silent communication had traveled between them, and though Craig had not meant to tell her anything, Manny had definitely gotten the message. Suddenly, she pushed through the two boys and headed in the opposite direction from where Craig, Sean, and Emma were standing, leaving Craig to watch her walk away with feelings he couldn't identify washing over him. Suddenly, an arm looped through his, and he heard a very familiar voice in his ear.  
  
"Hey babe. Ready for English?" Ashley asked, leaning against his shoulder.  
  
"Uh, yeah, right," he muttered, turning back to say bye to Sean and Emma. But then he noticed the looks on their faces, the identical smirks and raised eyebrows, and he knew that they had witnessed the entire scene.  
  
"Designing your own websites is a very complicated process, so I want you to follow the instructions carefully and try not to get frustrated." Mr. Simpson was explaining the day's assignment to the class while Emma and Manny sized up J.T.'s new look in low whispers.  
  
"I think he looks cute," Manny murmured, noting the shaggy hair that had replaced the previous super-short cut.  
  
"Yeah, it's not bad. I never thought I'd see the day when J.T. would be, dare I say it, mildly appealing?" Manny laughed and turned back to her computer, but something outside the classroom window caught her attention. It was Craig and Ashley, and they were standing by his locker, holding hands. If it had been Emma that had seen them, she probably would have wondered why they weren't in class, but Manny was more interested in the holding-hands part than the minor details. She felt her heart drop as Ashley leaned in and kissed him sweetly on the cheek, earning a small smile from her boyfriend. Even after being dissed and dismissed by Craig last year, a large part of Manny still hoped that he would see the error of his ways and beg her to forgive him. She sighed, a little too loudly, because Emma noticed her sound of dismay and turned in the direction that her friend was looking.  
  
"Craig looks pretty good this year, huh?" she asked casually, and Manny responded with a nod, looking down at her keyboard. "Too bad he's taken, though." Manny couldn't help but throw another glance Craig's way, and she was relieved to see that he was now alone. He did look good, very good in fact. His jeans fit him just right, and his curly brown hair was adorably tousled. Manny had dreamed over and over about running a hand through that hair, but it looked like Ashley had a claim over the whole package now, and Manny thought it better to put Craig out of her mind before she got hurt all over again.  
  
"Sure, Craig's cute. But wait till I show you Eric, the junior I was telling you about. Paige introduced us and he called me last night." but even as Manny launched into detail about Eric's huge biceps and beautiful green eyes, she knew that the only arms and eyes she wanted to think about were Craig's. 


	3. Chapter 3

Too Hot To Handle  
  
Ch. 3  
  
"I can't believe we're doing this!" Emma squealed in barely- controlled excitement as she held up another top in front of the store mirror, striking a pose as Manny laughed at her antics.  
  
"Well, why not?" Manny asked, tossing another skirt into the "yes" pile of clothes that was quickly building up in Emma's arms. "We're in high school now, Em. And high schoolers do fun, daring things like go to clubs. This way, we can look back on our lives twenty years from now and think, 'gee I'm sure glad I flaunted it when I had it.'" Emma giggled.  
  
"Well I don't know about you but I plan to be a very hot forty-year- old. And I already know Sean's still going to look good, so I'm not worried about a thing."  
  
"There you go again!" Manny exclaimed in mock-outrage. "Talking about you and Sean like you're getting married. Not to be a pessimist, but how do you know you guys will still be together by the end of this month?" Emma smiled knowingly.  
  
"I just happen to have faith in love, that's all." Manny pretended to gag and Emma shook her head disapprovingly. "I remember a day not so long ago Ms. Santos, when you too had a little faith in romance."  
  
Manny frowned at her friend's smugness and grumbled, "Yeah, well that was a long time ago." Emma sighed and placed the frilly pink hat she was examining on Manny's head, pulling the brim down so that it covered her eyes.  
  
"Not so long ago, my dear. Anyway, forget I brought it up. We are going to have a blast tonight. Chris knows everybody at the club so I doubt we'll have to wait in line, and I bet there are going to be a lot of cute guys there to keep you busy." Manny perked up immediately.  
  
"You're probably right. By the way, does Sean mind that you're going with Chris while he's sitting at home fixing motorcycles or whatever?" Emma shook her head.  
  
"Nah. I invited him to come along but I knew he wouldn't be up for it. Besides, Sean doesn't have the right to tell me who I can and can't hang out with." Manny smiled.  
  
'Always the feminist,' she thought. Just then, she spotted a black halter top with a few sequins decorating the neckline, and she grabbed it off the rack with such enthusiasm that the entire thing shook.  
  
"Down girl!" Emma exclaimed, giving her friend a quick pat on the head.  
  
"I just can't help it, I'm so excited!" Manny insisted, examining the beautiful top with loving attention. "I just have a feeling that tonight is going to be incredible." She turned Emma around so that they were both facing the mirror, and she slipped her arm around the other girl's waist. "Watch out world," she murmured. "Here we come."  
  
Joey's House  
  
"Come here, Angie," Emma coaxed. "It's time for dinner. Your dad let us order pizza!" The little girl hopped up from her seat on the couch and ran over to the counter, watching expectantly as her babysitter put a piece on each of their plates.  
  
"Anybody home?" A male voice resounded through the house as Craig entered through the front door and placed his camera carefully on the counter.  
  
"Craig!" Angie squealed, running over to her brother and greeting him with an enthusiastic tug on his leg. Craig gave her hair an affectionate ruffle before spotting the pizza and settling down in a chair next to Emma's at the kitchen table.  
  
"Hey Emma, how long are you here for?" Craig asked, examining the pizza slice before taking an enormous bite.  
  
"Not much longer," she replied, glancing at her watch. "I'm meeting Chris at his house in about an hour so his sister can take us out. What about you? What are your plans tonight?" Craig shrugged.  
  
"I guess I should probably call Ashley. She probably wants me to come over so I can hear some of her.poetry." Emma definitely noticed the inflection in his voice as he said the word "poetry". It was an obvious mix of resignation and frustration. "I mean, I love hanging out with her but we never DO anything." Emma raised her eyebrows at his words.  
  
"Umm. I think you're entering the too-much-information-zone there, Craig," she replied. He laughed.  
  
"That's not what I mean. I just.I dunno. I guess I'm looking for something different to do that's outside of our usual routine." Emma gave him a sympathetic smile, and Craig once again felt guilty when he thought about how Ash would feel if she knew what he was saying about her.  
  
"Look, I have an idea," Emma began. "Why don't you come with Chris and I to this club he's DJing at? I'll probably need a chaperone anyway, since I've never done anything even remotely like this in my life. It could be fun. What do you think?" Craig gave her a skeptical look.  
  
"You want me to be your chaperone as my Friday night activity?" he asked her incredulously. She nudged him in the ribs.  
  
"Well when you say it like that it doesn't sound so fun. But believe it or not, I'm sure you could find something at a club that's to your liking. Who knows, this could be the 'different' type of experience that you've been craving." Craig considered her words for a moment, and then a smile began to slowly appear on his face.  
  
"Alright, I'm in," he said, and Emma gave him a triumphant grin. "What time should I be at Chris's?"  
  
"10 o'clock sound okay?" she asked. After noting Craig's surprised expression, she added, "My parents think I'm staying over at a friend's." He gave her an incredulous look.  
  
"Why Emma Nelson. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd admire your rebellious nature." She shrugged.  
  
"What can I say? I figure we only live once, right? Anyway, I'm going home to change. See you at Chris's, okay?" Craig nodded, and Emma slipped out of the house with a quick goodbye to Angie. A small smile played on her lips as she realized that the stakes had just been raised. "Tonight's going to be a very interesting night. Very interesting, indeed."  
  
"Sorry, Ash. I'm just feeling really tired tonight. Can we do something tomorrow?" Craig couldn't believe he was telling a flat-out lie to his girlfriend, someone he cared about, as thought it were no big deal. As he hung up the phone, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the bathroom mirror, but instead of looking away, he stared back at his image in defiance.  
  
"You have no reason to feel guilty," he told himself firmly. "You just didn't want to hurt her feelings by telling her you were going to a club without her. And you have no reason to feel bad when you think about.other people. I'm sure Ash does it too." Around that time, Craig realized he was talking to himself, and anyone listening in would probably think he was crazy, so, shaking his head, he pulled on a shirt and grabbed his wallet off the desk.  
  
Chris's house was only about a block away from his, so he decided to walk there and enjoy the cool weather that had arrived the day before. By the time he had reached Chris's street, he realized that he was over fifteen minutes late and picked his pace up to a light jog. When he arrived at the driveway, Emma was waiting for him, rubbing her hands together in order to fight off the cold that was quickly creeping up her bear legs and arms.  
  
"Sorry I'm late!" Craig huffed as he ran up to the car, giving Chris a quick wave, who was talking to someone that looked like she could be his sister.  
  
"You're forgiven," Emma said with mock-sternness before opening the car door for him and gesturing inside. "After you." Craig slid in to the back of the SUV, noticing immediately that someone was already inside.  
  
"H-hey Craig," Manny stuttered, looking at him in surprise then glancing down at her hands.  
  
"Hi," he replied automatically, searching for something else to say but failing miserably. Instead, he opted to busy himself with the seatbelt as an awkward silence filled the small space.  
  
"Ready kids?" Chris asked, setting his cap sideways on his head as he hopped in shotgun and his sister placed the keys in the ignition.  
  
"Yep," Manny and Craig replied simultaneously, nervously glancing in opposite directions. In a few seconds, the car had peeled out of the driveway and the five of them were on their way: Chris and his sister arguing heatedly over the radio station, Emma squealing in anticipation ever couple of minutes, Manny examining her nails with unusual attention, and Craig trying and failing miserably not to think about her leg pressed up against his.  
  
Chris adjusted his cap and turned around to face the three passengers in the back. "Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to first night of the rest of our lives." 


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, sorry it's been taking me a little while to update but I'm really busy with homework and my apps, so new additions to the story may be a little more infrequent. Anyway, I've kept you in suspense long enough.  
  
Too Hot to Handle  
  
Ch. 4  
  
Emma was more than grateful when they finally reached Element, the club where Chris spins on weekends. The tension in the car was so thick she could cut it with a knife, and she couldn't help but wonder whether inviting Craig to the club was a huge mistake. It had taken a lot of time for Manny to get over Craig after their disastrous date the previous year, and the last thing that Emma wanted to do was to rehash all the pain that Manny had finally put behind her.  
  
"Call me on my cell when you guys are ready to go," Chris's sister called out the window when the four of them had exited the car. "No earlier than midnight, though, because my boyfriend and I are going to a movie."  
  
"Sure, fine, no problem," Emma answered with a wave of her hand, as though she got picked up outside clubs after midnight all the time. The older girl laughed and gave them a mock salute before peeling out onto the street.  
  
"Well, here we are," Craig muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He glanced over at Manny, who was rocking back and forth in an effort to keep warm, then at Emma who looked as though she was so excited she wasn't sure what to do with herself.  
  
"Hey, are we gunna stand here freezing our asses off or are we going inside? You know, where there's heat?" Chris gestured emphatically toward the door, in front of which there was a line of teenagers so long it probably would be a full 24 hours before the last few people were finally admitted. "Not to worry," Chris assured them, reading their thoughts. "I've got a few special privileges around this place, namely getting myself and my friends to the front of the line." Emma soon realized that Chris hadn't embellished. As soon as they reached the door, the bouncer-wannabe waved the four of them inside, and as they traveled through the crowded rooms, various kids slapped Chris high-fives or shouted greetings in his direction.  
  
"Chris, this is incredible!" Emma squealed as they entered the main area where teens were crowded on the spacious dance-floor while others were seated at scattered tables sipping beverages (alcoholic? non-alcoholic? Emma could only guess).  
  
Chris held out his hand toward Emma in a charming fashion and asked, "May I have the pleasure of this dance?" She giggled and nodded, allowing Chris to lead her toward the dance-floor and turning briefly to give Manny a pointed wink. Realizing that he was alone with the very girl who had been occupying the majority of his thoughts the past few weeks, Craig ran his hand through his hair nervously and racked his brain for something to say.  
  
"So. here we are," he stated stupidly, mentally congratulating himself for not knowing how to act like a human being.  
  
"Yep, we're here," Manny replied without commitment, glancing everywhere around the room except at Craig's face. 'Should I ask her to dance?' he wondered. 'That's innocent, right? I mean, Emma and Chris are dancing and the world hasn't spun out of orbit.' Craig took a deep breath and faced Manny, but just as he began to speak, someone tapped her on the shoulder.  
  
"Hey, want to dance?" the guy asked, extending his hand.  
  
"Absolutely," she replied quickly, grabbing his hand and pausing for a second to give Craig a small smile. He watched open-mouthed as she was led away then realized he was gaping like an idiot and forced himself to look away from the disturbing sight of Manny dancing with another guy. He decided to head over to the bar, and after ordering a coke, settled himself at a table that gave him a full view of the dance-floor. After a few minutes of what could only be considered sulking, Chris pulled up a chair beside Craig and threw himself onto it, sweat dripping down his face from the exertion of hard-core break-dancing.  
  
"Hey man, why aren't you out there bustin' a move? It looks like you've decided to spend the night drinking coke in a corner by yourself." Craig shrugged.  
  
"Just surveying the scene first, that's all." Chris snorted when he glanced in the direction that Craig was looking when he answered.  
  
"Uh huh. And that 'scene' wouldn't happen to be Manny and that guy, would it? Cuz you haven't taken your eyes off them since I sat down." Craig made a dismissive noise and focused his eyes on his drink.  
  
"Why would I be staring at Manny? I mean, I have a girlfriend. It's not like I like her or anything. Well, I did like her once but she was way too young for me and it could never have worked out," Craig rambled, earning a raised eyebrow from Chris at the overload of information.  
  
"Well, I don't know about all of that," Chris replied, "but she doesn't look very young right now, does she?" At this, he gave Craig a pointed look, which caused Craig to swallow hard and look away. "How's this," Craig began. "If you're not interested in Manny at all and you're just here to have a good time, why don't you go ask one of those girls to dance?" He gestured toward a cluster of attractive young girls who were lounging by the bar and surveying the scene. "Your girlfriend doesn't need to know about every girl you dance with, right?" Craig considered his words, then glanced over at the girls and seemed to stiffen his resolve.  
  
"You're right. One dance doesn't mean anything. Anyway, I'm here to have a good time, not to watch everyone else having fun." Chris gave him a thumbs-up sign, and Craig took a deep breath before heading toward the bar. To his surprise, the girls seemed more than eager to talk to him when he reached them, and he practically had to fend off some of the girls just so he could take one of them to the dance-floor. It seemed like the rest were pretty eager to have their turn, because as he lead a pretty blond away from her friends, he could hear them calling after him asking him to save them a dance. Craig couldn't help but smile and he felt himself begin to loosen up, especially as the other guys he passed gave him envious looks when they saw the girl at his arm.  
  
Once the girl had found a spot in the middle of the floor where everyone would be sure to see them, she wrapped her arms around Craig's neck and pulled him close, resting her head on his shoulder. Craig sighed, a bit uncomfortable, but after spotting Chris giving him a thumbs-up sign from where he and Emma were dancing, he allowed himself to relax a little. A few feet away, Craig could see Manny dancing with a new guy who was holding her a little too possessively for Craig's taste. He watched in dismay as the guy lowered his hand from Manny's waist to just above her butt, and was relieved when she reached behind her back to grab his hand and place it back in a more appropriate area. 'How long does this stupid song last, anyway?' Craig wondered in annoyance. 'And since when do clubs play slow songs?'  
  
Just then, someone cleared their throat behind him. Craig smiled when he saw Emma standing there looking flushed from dancing, and the blond girl lifted her head from Craig's shoulder to give her a very dirty look. "May I cut in?" Emma asked politely, and the girl, who seemed to have been rendered speechless, flounced angrily over to her friends without looking back.  
  
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Craig asked, taking Emma's hand with mock formality.  
  
"Well, I thought you might need a little rescuing since that girl seemed to be fused to your body," she replied with an amused look in her eye. "She wasn't your type, anyway."  
  
"Uh huh," Craig replied curiously. "And what exactly is my type, Miss Nelson?"  
  
"Well, I would say a girl who was intelligent, fun to be around, and probably a brunette," Emma answered seriously, causing Craig to feel a bit startled. He forced a laugh.  
  
"Listen Em, I don't know what you're trying to do but Manny definitely isn't my type. I'm pretty sure that was firmly established last year, remember?" Emma shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"Craig, I was talking about Ashley. Your girlfriend, remember? Forgive me if I'm being nosy but you seem awfully preoccupied with Manny tonight. Why don't you just go talk to her and tell her what's on your mind?"  
  
"Nothing's on my mind!" Craig insisted in frustration. "I guess I'm just a little out of it, that's all. All the weird disco lights are messing with my brain." Emma rolled her eyes at his unconvincing excuse, and they continued to dance in thoughtful silence until a new song started and Chris hopped over to where they were standing.  
  
"Come on Emma, you wanted to check out the DJ booth, right?" She nodded enthusiastically and turned back to Craig.  
  
"You coming?" she asked, but he just shook his head. "That's okay," she added. "I'll just have to get a replacement to keep you busy while I'm gone." And with that, she marched over to where Manny and guy #2 were dancing, and grabbed her arm, dragging her over to Craig while the other guy protested with a "What the hell?"  
  
"What's the big idea, Em?" Manny asked in annoyance, rubbing her arm where Emma hand left a red mark. Emma grinned.  
  
"I just needed someone to keep Craig company while I go watch Chris spin. And since you guys haven't spoken more than two words to each other the entire night, I figured this would be a prime time to get the conversation flowing."  
  
"Thanks, but I don't need a chaperone," Craig grumbled fixing Emma with a little glare.  
  
"Yeah, and I'm sure there are plenty of other girls here who would be more than willing to engage in some 'conversation' with Craig," Manny said with an edge in her voice, glancing at the group of girls over by the bar.  
  
"Look, would you guys stop whining for a two of minutes and dance, okay? I'll see you two later." And with that, Emma and Chris disappeared into the mounting crowd, leaving Manny and Craig to face each other uneasily.  
  
"I guess we should dance," Manny said, and after a beat, she placed her hands impersonally on his shoulders.  
  
"Yeah, sure, whatever," he said, following in suit. They stayed in that uncomfortable position for a few moments before Manny threw up her hands in frustration.  
  
"This is ridiculous!" she exclaimed. "You don't have to be so uncomfortable around me. I'm not going to make a move on you or ask you to marry me or anything. I've grown up a little since last year and I thought that maybe you would have noticed." Craig looked at her in surprise. Did she really think that he was uncomfortable around her because he was afraid she still liked him? He almost laughed out-loud at how wrong her assumption was.  
  
"Manny, I've noticed that you've changed. Believe me, I've noticed. If I've been acting weird around you it's only because." he trailed off, unsure about how much he should reveal.  
  
"Because why?" she asked, nearly pleading with him for the truth. He couldn't help but remember what it felt like the other two times she had been in his arms. She had grown a lot since then, making it easier for her to lace her fingers around his neck, and enabling him to look into her eyes without having to lean down. The first time they had danced Craig had been almost giddy with excitement as he led her away from Emma and onto the dance-floor, because at that time he was just a naïve kid with a crush. At the wedding, though, everything had been different, not only because it was right after Craig had torn her heart to pieces, but also because he had convinced himself that he no longer had any feelings for Manny. He had truly believed that being so close to her meant nothing to him. Now, Craig couldn't possibly deny the intense feelings that were washing over him as he looked down into Manny's face, losing himself in her beautiful brown eyes. She was still watching him expectantly, waiting for an answer, but all he could do was brush a lock of dark hair out of her eyes and tuck it gently behind her ear. He sighed.  
  
"Because all these feelings I thought had disappeared have been coming back twice as strong," Craig murmured, only half-aware that he was pouring out his most personal thoughts to the very girl that they involved. "I guess it's just hard to be around you, knowing that I had the chance to be close to you and I blew it." He laughed humorously as he spoke, and Manny watched him wordlessly, her heart pounding in her chest. "I see you talking to all these guys at school and I'm jealous, knowing that some of them are going to know you better than I ever will. Sometimes, I think that if I had another chance, I would do it all differently." As a silence passed between them, Craig noticed that Manny had become very still in his arms, and he realized at once the magnanimity of what he had just revealed. His face flushing with embarrassment, Craig muttered, "Sorry, I've gotta go," and released Manny quickly. But as he turned away from her searching eyes, Craig felt her grasp his hand, preventing him from walking away. Slowly, as though by some force beyond his control, Craig turned back again to face Manny, and she slowly stepped closer to him until their bodies were almost touching. She took in a shaky breath and licked her lips, inviting Craig's attention to them. Before he could stop himself, Craig reached down to cup Manny's face, running his thumb across her cheekbone, and watching as her eyes lit up in awe. As he leaned toward her, Manny reached up and buried her hand in his curly hair, just as she had always wanted to, and pulled his lips down to hers. Manny felt tremors go through her body as she increased the pressure of the kiss, wanting to be as close to him as possible. For a few moments, Craig was lost in the sensation of Manny's body molded to his and the feel of her soft lips against his own. But just as he began to pull her even closer to him, desperate to intensify these incredible sensations, the image of a pair of green eyes filled with tears entered his mind. 'Oh god, Ashley,' he thought in horror, pulling abruptly away from Manny's touch and leaving her breathless from the intensity of the kiss.  
  
As soon as he pulled away from her, Manny felt a chill creep up her body, missing Craig's arms around her. She regarded him with silent confusion as he ran a hand through his hair, unable to look at her. "I-I'm sorry. I just need some air," Craig said hurriedly, as he backed away. Then, as though he couldn't get away from her fast enough, he pushed quickly through the crowd and headed for the club exit, leaving Manny cold, confused, and heartbroken in the middle of the crowded room. 


	5. Chapter 5

\  
  
Too Hot To Handle  
  
Ch. 5  
  
Manny had never felt so awkward in her life. Stuffed in the back seat of the car with Emma to her right and Craig on the other side, Manny was acutely aware of the lingering silence that filled the small space. It seemed as though the other passengers could sense that something was amiss, so the steady conversation that had flowed during the drive to the club was noticeably absent. Manny fought the urge to look over at Craig, for fear that she might burst into tears right in front of everyone. What had she done wrong? It had certainly felt like Craig wanted to kiss her. Maybe she had been giving out a "come and get it" vibe, as Emma like to call it, and once Craig came to his senses he realized that he had no interest in Manny whatsoever. She had never felt so confused in her life.  
  
When the car arrived at Craig's house, he hopped up as though his seat was on fire, and, barely pausing for a "goodnight", jogged toward the back door and let himself in. 'Couldn't get away from me fast enough,' Manny thought in dismay. As they pulled back onto the street, she felt Emma's hand on her arm and saw the concerned look her friend was giving her.  
  
"Did something happen?" she asked curiously, looking Manny in the eye. Manny sighed.  
  
"Something happened, alright. I just don't know where to start." At this, Emma folded her arms and looked at the other girl with interest.  
  
"That's okay," she replied. "We have all night for you to figure it out."  
  
Ah, guilt. The most unwelcome visitor of all. While attempting to work up the courage to call his girlfriend the morning after "the kiss", Craig had found himself at a crossroad. To tell or not to tell, that was the question. Massaging his temple with his forefingers, Craig deliberated the pros and cons of honesty. Would anyone really benefit from his admission to Ashley that he had kissed another girl? Even more, would it help to let her know that this moment of weakness was the same moment that he had been dreaming about for weeks before it happened, the same moment he was continuing to replay over and over in his head? God, he was such a jerk. Ashley didn't deserve that kind of treatment, and he'd be damned if he let some meaningless, pointless. incredibly hot kiss get in the way of what could be the most meaningful relationship of his adolescent life.  
  
With that final thought, Craig's mind was made up. No one would have to know about what happened at the club, he just hoped that Manny would understand. After all, animal attraction wasn't what made a relationship work. A couple had to have similar interests and goals, and he and Ash understood each other on a deeper level. In fact, the answer was so simple that Craig couldn't believe he was even entertaining the idea of replacing Ashley with someone else. Now if he could only get the image of Manny out of his head, standing all alone on the dance floor, vulnerability shining from her pretty brown eyes, then everything could get back to normal. And normal was exactly what Craig wanted. Really.  
  
As Monday morning rolled around, Manny and Emma made sure to get to school a few minutes early in order to pass out flyers for the next meeting of SFPRT (Students For the Preservation of Redwood Trees), which Emma had decided was her latest and greatest project. The turnout for their last meeting had been very impressive, though one of the usual faces had been missing. Ever since Manny had thrown Sully out on his ass the weekend before, he had been notably absent from the presentations. Manny spotted J.T. ambling over to where the girls were standing, and she waved him over happily.  
  
Things had gotten much better with J.T. since their conversation last week in which heavy admissions were made and apologies were offered. Manny was grateful that he seemed to have gotten over his crush and was willing to be her friend again, because school with out J.T. by your side was so.educational, somehow. Wistfully, Manny considered what might have happened if she had said yes to J.T. when he had asked her to a movie, but then she quickly dismissed these thoughts, reminding herself that it would have been wrong to get involved with one of her best friends when she had rather *ehem* intense feelings for someone else.  
  
"Hey Manny," J.T. greeted her with a shy smile, taking a pamphlet from the pile in her hands. "Hey, saving the Redwoods. I'll be interested to hear what you ladies have to say on the subject."  
  
"Oh well you know us," Emma replied, glancing through the crowd for a glimpse of her hood-clad boyfriend. "We have something to say on every subject." Manny laughed.  
  
"Hey, speak for yourself-" she began, but stopped short as she spotted Craig stepping out of Joey's car, followed by Ashley, who was holding his hand possessively.  
  
"Just ignore him, Manny," Emma murmured, placing a comforting hand on her best friend's shoulder. "It's not worth getting upset over." Manny forced a laugh and flipped her shiny dark curls over her shoulder.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm over it," she stated unconvincingly, sneaking another glance in Craig's direction. "He's made it pretty clear that what happened meant nothing to him, so I'm going to make sure he knows that I feel the same way." She stuffed the remaining pamphlets into her bag and linked her arm with Emma's. "Let's go. Media Immersion calls and we must answer." And with that, the girls marched proudly up the steps to Degrassi Community School, heads held high, as if daring anyone to say that they weren't destined to change the world.  
  
"Band rehearsal, eight o'clock, my basement. Be there," Craig told Marco, Spinner, and Jimmy as the bell rang, signaling the end of first period. Giving the guys a farewell nod, Craig turned the corner, almost running smack-dab into J.T., who apologized quickly and headed off in the opposite direction with his friend Toby. Shaking his head in annoyance, Craig continued walking toward his English class, stopping suddenly when he spotted a lone figure at her locker down the hall. Manny was stuffing books into her back pack as Craig walked hesitantly toward her, realizing that he owed her some sort of explanation for his behavior that night, and he struggled to find the words that would hurt her feelings the least. As she turned to glance at her reflection in the mirror, Craig paused beside her, resting his hand on the locker next to hers. Then, without warning, Manny slammed her locker door shut, crushing his fingers in the process.  
  
"Aaah!" Craig exclaimed, hopping around in extreme pain and holding his fingers with the other hand.  
  
"Oh no! I am so sorry, Craig, I didn't see you there.," Manny covered her eyes in horror as he continued to bounce around in agony.  
  
"Jesus," he muttered finally, leaning back against the lockers then sliding down onto the floor. Cautiously, Manny crouched down to where he was sitting and held out her hand.  
  
"Let me see it," she instructed, but Craig shook his head. "Come on, don't be a baby," she said impatiently, sounding very much like an elementary school teacher. She took her hand in his and began to examine his fingers carefully, noting that they had already swelled significantly. She heard a sharp intake of breath as she lightly touched his hand, and she looked at him concern. "Does that hurt?" she asked, and Craig slowly shook his head. Gently, she ran her thumb across each of the fingers, watching his reaction with interest, and she noted that his breathing had quickened significantly.  
  
Craig's eyes met her own, and Manny realized at once that she was the one affecting him now, not the pain in his fingers. Her heart racing, Manny brought her other hand up to his hurt one, holding it, as her other hand continued its rhythmetic caress, her eyes locked on his at all times. After a moment, she realized that Craig's face was slowly inching slowly towards hers, and she felt her heart flutter at the smoldering look in his dark eyes. But just when their noses were almost touching, Manny pulled away, a stricken expression on her face.  
  
"We're, uh, late to class," she muttered, gathering her bag. "Don't want detention, right?" She gave him one last glance before turning quickly and heading in the direction of her class, leaving Craig on the floor, swollen hand forgotten, wondering what had just happened. 


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys! I know, this chapter has been a loooong time coming. Sorry to those of you who have been anxiously awaiting it. This might be a little confusing, but I decided to start up the story after Holiday and incorporate all the events of recent episodes into the plot. In other words, the garage sex, rave hook-up, and all of Holiday actually happened. This takes place soon after Craig loses both girls. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Three months later.  
  
Brrrring! The jarring sound of the phone ringing caused Emma to wake with a start. She looked frantically around, as though expecting some sort of an ambush, then settled her sleepy eyes on the camo-phone that Mr. Simpson, er. Archie had given her for Christmas. 'Jesus.what time is it?' she thought to herself, flipping on the lamp beside her bed and reaching for the noisy device. "Hello?!" she barked into the phone, reluctant to give the person on the other line any courtesy.  
  
"Emm.?" came the soft reply, and Emma heard the unmistakable sound of sniffling. "I-I'm sorry for calling so late. I needed someone to talk to." Emma was torn as she recognized Manny's voice at the other end. The other girl had barely spoken two words to her since their confrontation in the school hallway nearly a month ago, and Emma was reluctant to put aside her residual anger at the description of herself as a "stuck-up prude princess." But as she listened to the muffled sobs that her ex-best friend was emitting, Emma decided to swallow her pride and give Manny the benefit of the doubt.  
  
"What is it Manny? I'm listening." There was silence on the other end.  
  
"Emm. can I come over?" Emma glanced at her watch (which read 2:10 A.M.) and sighed. It was going to be a long night.  
  
Ten minutes later, Emma had allowed her ex-best friend to enter through the basement window, and the two were sitting silently on Emma's bed. Manny glanced at the blond girl out of the corner of her tear-filled eye, took a deep breath, and steeled herself for the judgments that she knew would be passed in a moment's time.  
  
"I-I know you don't want to hear about me and Craig, but there are things that I need to tell you. I know I don't deserve it, but I need you right now, Emm." With a nod of her head, Emma silently communicated that she understood and was prepared to listen. "Here goes." Manny murmured, feeling her chest tighten in anticipation of the information she was about to reveal. "After the night that the four of us went to that club, when Craig first kissed me, I couldn't get him out of my head. It was as if I ran into him everywhere I went.I couldn't escape him.  
  
Remember when you asked me what happened at Paige's surprise party? Well, Craig and Ashley broke up, and he was upset. I went after him, half hoping to comfort him, half hoping he would come to his senses and realize I was the one for him. I was so wrapped up in all these emotions that night, it was like I couldn't separate right from wrong, and I." Manny trailed off as though too embarrassed or afraid to continue.  
  
"You what?" Emma prodded her gently.  
  
"I had sex with him." The confession was accompanied by a good sixty seconds of silence. Emma's eyes had widened to the size of golf balls.  
  
"You.you."  
  
"I slept with him. I thought I loved him and I was ready. After that, there was no convincing me that he didn't want a relationship with me. He and Ashley got back together, but I didn't care. Because he kept coming back to me, over and over, and I knew I that if I was patient then I would get what I wanted most. I would get him." Emma didn't say a word. She didn't even breathe. When she had come home from the rave and caught Manny and Craig playing tonsil hockey on her own bed, she was sure it was just Manny being selfish and boy-crazy like she had been for the past couple months. Never would she have believed that her friend was in this deep.  
  
"So you and Craig. what are you now? Is that still going on?" Manny sighed and shook her head.  
  
"I thought we were.he told me that he'd made a mistake. That it had always been me. And like an idiot I believed him. But he was playing me and Ash at the same time, and I deserved it. You'll be happy to know that I broke it off. I threw the stupid Christmas gift he got me on the floor right in front of him, just to make sure he got the message loud and clear."  
  
"That's great, Manny. I'm proud of you. You deserve much better than to be the 'other woman'. you deserve a guy who is going to make you his ONLY woman." Manny smiled half-heartedly as Emma gave her hand a comforting squeeze.  
  
"I know, I know. It just hurts that's all. And the sad thing is, I'm not even that mad at him. He may have led me on that night at the club, but I took it further. I didn't want to let go." Emma nodded sympathetically.  
  
"Listen Manny, It's late. Why don't you sleep here tonight and call your mom in the morning?" Manny considered the offer and attempted a smile, but all she could do was try and fight back the tears that were threatening to spill. Emma wrapped a blanket around the distressed girl and passed her one of her pillows. She waited until she heard the sound of Manny's steady breathing before she allowed herself to close her eyes and drift off into a restless sleep.  
  
Joey's House  
  
"Craig, wake up! You said we could go to the park!" Angie's voice guided Craig back into unpleasant consciousness, and he fought the urge to kick his little sister out of the room and bolt the door. He groggily rubbed his eyes and began to sit up, until he realized that he had a splitting migraine. Suddenly, events of the previous day came flooding back to him, and he let out a painful groan. How the hell could he have been so stupid? Did he think he would actually get away with having two girlfriends at once? Reluctantly, he got out of bed and made his way to the bathroom, and was surprised to see Joey and Caitlin canoodling on the couch. He noted that Caitlin seemed to be wearing the same outfit that she had had on the previous night. 'Well, at least one couple can have their happily-ever- after,' he thought grumpily to himself.  
  
Later that morning, Angie dragged her brother to every inch of the park- from the sandbox to the monkey bars and back again- before he told her he had to take a quick walk around while she played with another little girl on the swings. Craig spotted Spinner and Jimmy on the basketball court, in what appeared to be a heated game of one-on-one. When the two spotted him, they immediately stopped their game and gave each other uneasy looks. "Hey man," Jimmy called out hesitantly as Craig ambled over.  
  
"How you doin?" Spinner asked him purposefully. "We heard about what happened at the assembly, dude. That's brutal." Craig shrugged, reluctant to further the conversation.  
  
"You must be really upset about Ash. You guys seemed really happy," Jimmy remarked, a flicker of hurt in his eyes. "I mean, you must be beating yourself up over losing her." He waited for a reaction from Craig that would confirm his statement, but the other boy appeared almost indifferent. Spinner looked at Craig for a moment before grinning.  
  
"Dude, I knew it! It's not Ash you miss, it's Manny." Jimmy regarded his friend with surprise.  
  
"Manny? It was Manny you were cheating on Ash with?" Spinner nodded knowingly before Craig could respond.  
  
"Yah. I caught the two of them making out at the ice-pageant-thing. I knew you were really into her. I mean, she's hot." Craig had had enough.  
  
"Okay, first of all, we were not 'making out', and second of all, I do feel bad about Ash. She was awesome and I was so lucky that she was even interested in me. It's just. I don't know. It's like I'm drawn to Manny by something bigger than I can explain. And the past couple of months, it felt so right to be with her. And the idea that I won't be able to see her anymore.it's driving me crazy!" After that outburst, Craig fell back onto the grass, completely exhausted. Jimmy and Spinner exchanged looks again, though this time they were more confused than uneasy.  
  
"Wait a minute," Jimmy began. "You are drawn to Manny, you need Manny, and you want to be with Manny. So why didn't you just break up with Ash and date Manny?" Craig's friends were now looking at him as though he were some bizarre science experiment.  
  
"I couldn't just break up with Ashley. I mean, she's amazing. I was lucky to even have a girlfriend like her, right?" Jimmy appeared lost in thought, but Spinner just squinted his eyes.  
  
"Dude, I don't think she's that great. I wouldn't date her," Spinner replied. Jimmy rolled his eyes.  
  
"I think what this loser is 'trying' to say is that you don't give yourself enough credit. You're not below Ashley or anything. You just made some bad choices."  
  
"Umm. no. That's not what I was trying to say at all. I just wouldn't date her."  
  
"Okay!" Craig exclaimed, suddenly desperate to end this line of conversation. "I appreciate the advice, but I think I just need a little time to figure everything out." The boys were silent for a moment, contemplating the complexities of high school relationships.  
  
After a beat, Jimmy wondered softly, "So what are you going to do now, man? Try and get them both back?" Craig shook his head and began messaging his temples.  
  
"Not likely. Ashley and I are over, I made sure of that when I fooled around on her; she's not the type to forgive that kind of betrayal. Besides, I've known the relationship was ending for a long time, I just didn't realize it yet. As for Manny." he trailed off, as though his feelings on the subject were beyond explanation. "I hurt her. A lot," he murmured, choking up a little despite himself. "She won't want anything to do with me. Not now, not ever." Spinner bounced the ball on the pavement and took a wild shot, barely grazing the backboard.  
  
"I think you underestimate your powers of persuasion, my friend," he called as he jogged away to get the ball. "If you and Manny are drawn together like you said, then it'll happen. Trust me." Craig contemplated the uncharacteristically wise words of his friend Spinner as he ran a hand through his dark curls. Maybe Spinner was right. If they were meant to be, then they would be. Only time would tell. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Two weeks, three days, and five hours. That's how long it had been since she had last seen Craig. Since she had dropped the gold bracelet at his feet and turned away from him. Everyday she would go over the numbers in her head, and every day she would try and force herself to stop counting. But every hour that went by was another hour since she had last seen Craig.  
  
"Manny! Hello? Hun, I'm going to need you to pay attention if we are going to nail the new choreography before competition," Paige's commanding voice startled Manny out of her daze. They were finally back in school after a two-and-a-half week holiday break, and practices for the spirit squad were once again in session. Manny fanned herself absentmindedly as she silently cursed Paige for assigning her to the bottom of the pyramid.  
  
"One-two-three-four...!" Paige chanted as the cheerleaders began forming the pyramid, which culminated in Hazel being lifted to the top. Manny gritted her teeth as she felt the weight continuing to pile on her back as the routine continued. Then, from somewhere above, Manny heard a frightened squeal, and Hazel lost her footing, almost toppling to the ground. As the others broke formation and gathered around the fallen girl to see if she was injured, Paige stamped her foot impatiently.  
  
"Okay, that's it!" she exclaimed in pure frustration. "If you are going to beg me to put you a the top of a pyramid, Hazel, then it would be nice if you would try not to break your own neck. You know we can't spare any spirit squad members right now." She fanned herself for a moment, lost in thought. "Okay, okay...not a problem. Manny, sweetie, you're up." Manny silently thanked the lord for her good fortune and got in position. As the routine began again, she waited to be lifted, and soon found herself perched atop nine unfortunate, sweaty cheerleaders.  
  
Following Paige's strict instructions to pretend that there were screaming fans in the empty bleachers across the gym, Manny put on a dazzling smile and waved her pom-poms enthusiastically. 'This is ridiculous,' she thought to herself, letting the smile drift off her face. Just then, she noticed J.T. across the room in his mascot suit, watching as they cheered. More specifically, he watched as Manny cheered, and he blushed despite himself when he saw that Manny had noticed. She flashed the dazzling smile again, this time in his direction, and gave him a little wink, enjoying the look of surprise on his face.  
  
Flirting was practically second nature to her now, and the fact that J.T. obviously still liked her made it all the more fun. Even though it was probably selfish, she didn't feel guilty about playing up to his affections, because she was no longer tangled up in feelings for Craig. At least, she was determined not to be. So why not give J.T. a chance?  
  
"Okay, that's it for the day," Paige announced, grabbing her personal towel off the chair it was resting on. The rest of the cheerleaders headed over to grab their things and head for the locker room, but Manny remembered that she would need to pick up her algebra book from the lost-and-found. She pulled her long dark hair off her neck and began twisting it into a bun as she exited the gym and found herself in the school hallway. Kids were already filing out of class and the boys who were at their lockers all did double takes when the saw Manny walk by in her cheerleading uniform.  
  
"Hey, Manny! Wait up!" Manny turned to see J.T. jogging toward her. He was now sporting jeans rather than his previous tiger threads. He smiled shyly at her as he approached and she returned the smile, noting his unease. "So...how was your break? Did you, you know, have fun?"  
  
"More or less," she replied.  
  
"Good, good." There was a pause. "Listen, I know that things have gotten back to normal with us, and I don't want to ruin that. But Emma sort of led me to believe that you were over... that guy, so I just thought I'd ask," J.T. licked his lips, looking adorably nervous and excited at the same time. "Do you think you might want to go out some time?" Manny was caught off guard, though she should have expected this after giving him go-ahead signal earlier. She looked at the boy in front of her, his eyes averted, hands in his pockets, and she felt her heart warm a bit.  
  
"I'd really like that, J.T. Thank you." He nodded for a moment, as though he hadn't really heard her response, then looked up at her in surprise.  
  
"Really? Well, thank you, then. I'll call you later, okay?" Manny nodded and he gave her a shy wave goodbye, which she returned with a shyness to match his own. A small smile played on her lips, and she felt better than she had in a long time. She watched him walk away for a moment, then turned around to head in the opposite direction, when she found herself face-to- face with a familiar boy. She felt her heart freeze in her chest as her eyes locked on to Craig's, and he looked at her with a funny expression on his face, his hands stuffed into his pockets.  
  
They stood that way for a long moment, before Manny muttered, "Hey."  
  
"Hey," he responded, averting his eyes for a moment. "How are you?" he asked.  
  
"I'm doing okay," she replied with what she hoped was a nonchalant tone, though she couldn't be sure since her mind had become very fuzzy, like a TV with a defective cable. Craig glanced over Manny's shoulder in the direction that J.T. had gone, disappointment etched on his features.  
  
"So you and J.T., huh?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Umm... yeah. We're going to hang out sometime. He's a great guy... Makes me happy." Craig glanced up at her then, and she felt a slight satisfaction when she saw the hurt in his dark eyes. What she didn't realize, or perhaps wanted to ignore, was that the only thought running through Craig's mind at the moment was that the happiest moments he had felt the past year had been with Manny. As he gazed at her face, a mere foot in distance between them, he realized that for the first time since that fateful 80's dance, Manny felt out of his reach. The idea of the happiness he had once experienced seemed intangible now, an idea too painful for Craig to accept.  
  
"I want you to know," Manny began, "that I'm not angry at you anymore. I take at least half the responsibility for what happened between the three of us. I just...I don't make the best decisions when it comes to you, and I need to be away from you for awhile, so I can clear my head."  
  
"That's why you want to 'hang out' with J.T.? You think it's going to help clear your head?" Craig retorted, unable to stop the feelings of jealousy and hurt that were washing over him. Manny didn't respond for a moment.  
  
"Who I hang out with is none of your business, Craig. Not anymore. I don't have to explain myself to you." She bit her lip as tears sprung to her eyes, and she felt mortified at the idea that Craig would see her cry, yet again, over a broken heart that was his doing. When he saw the tears that were threatening to spill, Craig felt his heart drop to his stomach, and the anger that had been creeping up on him quickly melted away.  
  
He glanced down at his shoes, and, trying to keep his voice level, murmured, "You're right. Who you date is none of my business. I'm sorry." He forced a smile, determined to end this conversation without tears or heated words. Hesitantly, he reached out toward her face, and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, just as he had months ago before things had become so damn complicated. "You deserve to be happy," he whispered, and before she could respond, he brushed by her and headed down the hall toward his next class. Manny stood rooted to the spot for a moment, willing herself relax. She was sick of being a victim. 'You may think a few sweet words will be enough to win me over, Craig dear, but I'm not the naïve fool I once was,' Manny thought to herself. As she headed toward the office, she willed herself to think of Craig's faults, the mistakes that he had made, to remind herself why she had to push him out of her life. But she knew that feelings of malice toward him were only temporary, and if she wasn't strong enough, her resolve could break down completely, and that just wouldn't do...  
  
Up next: Battle of the Bands! Other Degrassi kids will have something to do for this chapter. Who'd have thought it? 


End file.
